


*homoerotically steals ur kills*

by asymmetricace



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Background Linspar, First Kiss, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, Love Confessions, M/M, They/Them Pronouns for My Unit | Byleth, briefly pre-timskip, gratuitous use of full names, guest appearances by the rest of the black eagles and byleth, mostly post time-skip, pov changes a couple times, rated t because im a coward and am afraid of rating too low, the enemies to friends to lovers inherent in ferdibert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25660018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asymmetricace/pseuds/asymmetricace
Summary: Hubert von Vestra is a valor-stealing bastard intent on making sure Ferdinand can never prove his worth in battle. That is the only explanation for his behavior. It will certainly never benefit anyone, definitely not Ferdinand himself.~~Ferdinand von Aegir is a hopeless fool who charges into battles he can't handle. That is the only reason why Hubert keeps a watchful eye on him. It will certainly never turn into an issue he needs to discuss with several outside parties before he can admit to anything.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 15
Kudos: 138





	*homoerotically steals ur kills*

**Author's Note:**

> hello!!!! welcome to a fanfic loosely based on my attempts to level hubert up during the beginning of my last crimson flower run. not much to say leading into this one except that i love ferdibert so much and their dynamic is Incredible and i can only ever hope to truly capture it in writing and also ive fallen deeply back into fe3h hyperfixation
> 
> i had no idea how to accurately summarize this and it was originally multiple chapters but then i squished it into one anyway lets go
> 
> beta'd by my dear bro @PrinceClockwork

The first time it happened was in the Holy Mausoleum. Ferdinand had set up his attack perfectly: his first blow had staggered his opponent and the next would finish him off. However, it seemed someone else had other plans. Just as Ferdinand raised his lance to make the final strike, a miasma spell tore through his target, coming from somewhere at his side.

“Hubert!” Ferdinand objected, spinning on his heels. He was too late. The mage in question was already gone, returning to Edelgard’s side. He made a mental note to confront Hubert about this later. He could not let Edelgard’s dog show him up in combat without consequence. For now, he must focus on the mission. He had to show the professor that he was just as capable as Edelgard, if not even more so.

Actually, the ginger noble might have forgotten about the transgression had it not happened again. Ferdinand had just taken a hit, and was managing just fine, mind you, when yet another miasma spell destroyed the enemy in front of him. He shot a glare over his shoulder at Hubert, who had the audacity to look indifferent if not disdainful about the whole affair.

“I _do not_ envy you for whatever you did to get his attention,” Linhardt said as he focused on closing the worst of the wounds.

“I have done nothing,” Ferdinand insisted indignantly. If it were up to him, he would avoid Hubert unless absolutely necessary. Their professor, it seemed, disagreed, as they assigned the two to stable duty together every week. Ferdinand thought that the mercenary would learn this was a mistake after he and Hubert produced subpar results time and time again, but the duties had not changed. Even on their best weeks they succeeded despite each other. Surely Hubert was not trying to get revenge against their professor by stealing Ferdinand’s victories…?

He would soon find out. Even though it had now been days since the incidents, Ferdinand was still bristling. Hubert had no right to try and upstage him like that. Why, that greasy excuse for a man… Who did he think he was, stealing marks from Ferdinand von Aegir, the heir to the seat of Prime Minister? Ferdinand was so fired up that he had forgotten the key to his plan. Instead of waiting until Hubert was alone, he had barged right into the Black Eagles classroom where Edelgard and Hubert were currently conversing.

“Ah, Ferdinand. Did you need something?” Edelgard asked, freezing the young noble where he stood.

“Edelgard! I was… wondering if I might… borrow Hubert for a moment,” Ferdinand said, hoping his voice didn’t betray his sudden uncertainty.

Hubert scoffed. “I’m sure there is no need to pester me at the present. Surely you could bother me at another time when I am not discussing important matters with Lady Edelgard.”

The nerve of this man! No, Ferdinand decided, he would be “bothering” and “pestering” him immediately, regardless of what Edelgard had to say.

Edelgard was wearing a familiar expression that anyone who wasn’t Ferdinand von Aegir would recognize as simultaneously amused and exasperated. Anyone who was Ferdinand von Aegir would recognize this expression as her “my rival must be up to his usual schemes” look. She sighed, somewhat dramatically.

“I will only need him for a moment,” Ferdinand assured her. Any longer than a moment and they might be at each other’s throats. He could not imagine Edelgard would make it any easier for him to totally surpass her if he killed her vassal.

“Lady Edelgard, you do not need to humor this fool,” Hubert countered.

“Why, Hubert,” the imperial princess started, a twinkle in her eyes, “I do think it would be good for you to spend time with your other classmates every now and then. Go with Ferdinand. We’ve already discussed all we needed to anyway.”

“I…” Hubert made a sound like he was choking and Ferdinand had to stifle a laugh. “I understand, Lady Edelgard… I will speak with him.”

“Excellent. Then I will leave the classroom to you.” Edelgard smiled at them before leaving.

“What is this about, von Aegir?” Hubert asked once they were alone, voice dripping with distaste. His arms were crossed over his chest and the scowl which seemed permanently etched into his face was even deeper than usual. Ferdinand felt those green eyes piercing into his soul.

“I think you know very well what this is about, von Vestra!” Ferdinand decided that the best way to counteract the fear tactics was to match the mage move for move. “This is about the stunt you pulled during the business at the Holy Mausoleum!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Unless you’re referring to my showing our peers what a self-righteous idiot you are as a ‘stunt.’”

“You have some nerve, trying to discredit me in front of our classmates like that. Everyone at Garreg Mach knows that I am easily the strongest member of the Black Eagle house, even stronger than Edelgard. However, I will never be able to prove that to them if you insist on finishing off all of my foes!”

“You would find that it wouldn’t be necessary for me to do so if you were at all close to the skill level you boast.”

“So, that is what this is about, is it? You claiming victories that are rightfully mine so that you can discredit my accomplishments?” Ferdinand frowned.

“Don’t flatter yourself. No, that’s not it. I defeat foes that you recklessly engage with because you cannot be trusted to deal with them on your own. Your incompetence will only hinder us all.” Hubert glared down at him, but Ferdinand would not falter.

“I will have you know that I am more than competent, no matter what you may believe! And I will prove it to you! One day, Hubert von Vestra, I will show you that I am even more valuable a warrior than your precious ‘Lady Edelgard,’ I swear it to you!” Ferdinand puffed his chest out and placed his hands on his hips, making himself as large as possible.

Hubert chuckled. “We shall see about that. Good luck trying to prove your worth without any battlefield success to your oh-so-important name. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have matters of actual importance to attend to.”

“You will eat those words, Hubert!” Ferdinand called after his retreating form. “I have only just begun to reach my full potential! I will become such an effective warrior that even you will gaze upon me in awe! Just you wait!”

If Hubert heard him he gave no sign of it.

“Rotten excuse for a man…” Ferdinand muttered. “I do not know how Edelgard stands to be around him.”

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

It happened again on their next mission. And again, and again, and again. Any time Ferdinand would come close to defeating an enemy, a miasma spell (or, more recently, sometimes a mire spell) would blow by, striking the foe down. During battle after battle, if Ferdinand did not fell someone in a single blow, there would be Hubert to steal the victory. It was infuriating. Hubert never did this to Edelgard or any of their other classmates. In fact, sometimes it seemed that Hubert did not defeat any foes at all except for those he swooped in and took from Ferdinand. And, to make matters worse, the professor still refused to take them off stable duty. They had even begun forcing the two to take meals together.

Once, Ferdinand had caught Edelgard chastising Hubert for getting in his way so often. She had asked him to cease, arguing that Ferdinand could hardly improve in battle if he was never given the chance to. Ferdinand stormed out of the room and immediately to the training grounds. He would show them. He would show all of them.

Many things changed over the following months. Ferdinand grew stronger, that was a given. He was a gifted cavalier, which he had known already but now got to show off. He started giving Hubert a run for his money too. Ferdinand’s training had paid off and he was now able to claim victories with a single strike. Hubert’s interference was becoming much less inevitable. The first time Ferdinand defeated an enemy with one swing of his axe, Hubert had actually had the clarity of mind to look almost impressed. The expression was quickly wiped away, but Ferdinand was proud of the glimpse of it that he had gotten.

Ferdinand had gotten to see Hubert be surprised more and more frequently. The most notable occurrence was after Edelgard challenged Rhea. When the young noble had taken the emperor’s side Hubert had looked downright shocked. Of course, the mage spent the next several months keeping a very close eye on him. Ferdinand had no doubt he was looking for a chance to claim the “infamous Aegir incompetency” was ruining Edelgard’s plans. He paid the weasel in human clothing no mind. Ferdinand von Aegir always devoted his whole being to whatever cause he supported.

Hubert’s watch increased in intensity after they lost their dear professor. If Hubert himself was not watching Ferdinand, one of his many spies would be. Ferdinand had become accustomed to the feeling of being watched and went about his business as usual. As the years went by, Ferdinand realized he noticed Hubert’s spies less and less, although he wasn’t sure if that was because Hubert had stopped sending them or if Hubert had gotten better spies. No matter. Ferdinand had important work to do. It was imperative, now more than ever, that he prove himself to Edelgard and those around them.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

After Byleth returned to them, something in Hubert seemed to change. Perhaps it was just a coincidence. However, Ferdinand could not deny that the mage was certainly more tolerant of him. He might even dare to go so far as to say Hubert was being nice. He had asked around but none of his peers seemed to report any particular lift in Hubert’s attitude on their end. And yet, Hubert smiled around him more, however mocking that smile may be at times.

Although, as the foes they faced became more difficult to deal with, Hubert resumed his task of swooping in at the last moment to steal Ferdinand’s victories, like some sort of vulture. It usually happened when Ferdinand found himself battling more than one enemy at once. Just when he would almost admit to himself that he had gotten into more than he could handle, Hubert’s miasma spells would come flying through the air beside him. The smiles that Hubert flashed him after such instances were even more infuriating that his scowls. Did Hubert truly think so little of him that he was now laughing at Ferdinand’s failure to slay a man before the mage got there? Ferdinand had thought they were becoming something close to friends. Yet…

The interference continued even after they started taking tea, well, tea and coffee, together on regular occasion. Ferdinand took that as a measure of genuine friendship, but Hubert still insisted on robbing him of his victories just as they would have been sweetest. Was this becoming some sort of competition between them? No, surely not. Hubert at least had the good will to restrain his involvement to when Ferdinand was nearly overwhelmed. If it were a competition, Hubert would certainly make more of an effort to swoop in at other points. So then, what was it?

Ferdinand had to confront him again. Luckily, Hubert was easier to find without Edelgard these days as the emperor was often spending her time with Byleth.

“Hubert!” Ferdinand called when he spotted the dark-haired man.

Hubert turned immediately. “Ferdinand,” he replied evenly. “What brings you here?”

“Why, I am looking for you, Hubert!”

“For me? Whatever have I done to deserve this?” Banter had become a new part of their… relationship as of late. Ferdinand found he quite enjoyed tossing light-hearted insults and jests back and forth, but now was hardly the time for it.

“This is no laughing matter. You are up to your old habits, I am afraid. What possesses you to humiliate me so?” Ferdinand frowned and placed one hand on his hip.

“…Humiliate you? I don’t recall trying to do anything of sort recently. Do you mean that day when you nearly choked on soup in the dining hall? That was hardly my fault, as I was simply sitting beside you,” Hubert smiled softly and Ferdinand wanted to strangle him.

“No, Hubert! I am being serious!”

“What is this about?”

“‘What is this about?’ Hubert! Do you still think me to be so incapable in battle that you need to finish off my foes for me?! I am more than capable of handling myself in combat! And yet, you continue to attempt to upstage me like you did when we were in school!”

Hubert paused, his expression morphing into something unreadable. He straightened his posture and folded his arms behind his back, never an indicator of a good mood. “…Interpret my actions however you wish. Just know that it would be a major inconvenience for everyone if you were to fall at this point.” With that, Hubert began to walk away.

Ferdinand reached out quickly and grabbed his sleeve. “What does that mean? Hubert, why are you doing this to me?”

Hubert leveled him with a mysterious look. “Interpret my actions however you wish,” he repeated before tugging his arm back and leaving.

“Why must he always be so infuriating…?” Ferdinand sighed, running a hand through his long hair.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

It was supposed to be a routine excursion to take care of some bandits. There weren’t supposed to be this many of them and they weren’t supposed to be this skilled. Hubert kept scanning the field between casting spells to make sure none of his allies had fallen. It wouldn’t do for them to lose anyone to such an insignificant fight. Hubert cast a couple more spells before surveying the terrain before him again. Edelgard was holding her own, as to be expected. Byleth was at the emperor’s side, casting the occasional healing spell on her and whoever else they could reach. Petra was a force to be reckoned with on her own but Dorothea and Bernadetta had teamed up with her once they realized how many enemies they were up against. Caspar was recklessly charging through the battlefield, as usual, with Linhardt trailing behind him and acting as a personal healer. And Ferdinand… Where the hell was Ferdinand? There was no sign of the personified ray of sunshine. No flash of bright hair. No horse, even.

Hubert would never say that he panicked, but knew he would have to locate Ferdinand before he could devote his full focus to the battle. He cast one more nearly frantic glance around before moving toward Edelgard and Byleth during a brief lull in combat.

“Hubert,” Edelgard turned to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Where is he? Where did he go?” Hubert asked quickly.

“Where is _who_?”

“Von Aegir! Ferdinand! Did you see where he went?!” Later, Hubert would be deeply embarrassed at his emotional outburst.

“I saw him go off that way,” Byleth said, pointing.

Hubert was gone. He ran toward the tree line Byleth had indicated, because _of course_ Ferdinand would immediately ride off to where Hubert couldn’t keep tabs on him. However, once he had passed through the trees, his anger was quickly redirected. In the brief moment before he saw red and nothing else, Hubert took stock of the scene in front of him. There was a handful of bandits in the clearing, one of them trying, and failing, to calm a horse. Ferdinand’s horse. The other bandits were gathered around a figure on the ground. The man was struggling to keep himself on his hands and knees, his long orange hair falling around him.

Spells were flying before Hubert was aware he had even prepped them. How dare these ruffians touch Ferdinand or his precious horse? They would pay for their sins. And they did. By the time Hubert was done with them, he wasn’t entirely certain how many bandits there had been to begin with. All that mattered was that they were dead.

Hubert dropped to Ferdinand’s side and the man collapsed into his lap. “Ferdinand. Ferdinand, can you hear me?”

Ferdinand mumbled something incoherently, looking up at him.

“Damn it, von Aegir, I need you to stay conscious,” Hubert said, very lightly jostling Ferdinand’s shoulder. “I… I can do what I can until proper help arrives. Just stay with me.”

Byleth had insisted Hubert learn the basics of healing magic during their days at Garreg Mach. He had scoffed at the idea at the time and only healed Edelgard when none of the healers were available. However, that training seemed to be enough to keep Ferdinand’s wounds from becoming worse. He made a mental note to thank Byleth for their forethought. Still, Ferdinand’s consciousness was slipping. His wounds were so deep and Hubert’s knowledge of healing was so… _basic_. Doubt wouldn’t help him now. It wouldn’t steady his shaking hand and it wouldn’t stabilize his shoddy white magic. He wished Ferdinand would say something, do something, to show that the healing, if it could even be called that, was helping. His hands were for inflicting pain, not relieving it.

At that moment, Ferdinand coughed and spit a few droplets of blood onto his chin. Hubert’s healing was decidedly not helping enough, then. Hubert realized it was time to stop waiting for help and to summon it.

“Lady Edelgard! Professor!” He craned his neck to look towards where he had entered the clearing. “Linhardt!” he added, out of desperation.

Ferdinand shifted in his lap, his head lolling to the side. “…Hubert…” he rasped, sounding only vaguely coherent.

“Ferdinand, I’m here. Stay awake, Lady Edelgard and the professor are on their way,” Hubert informed him, taking one of his hands and brushing several strands of hair out of the man’s face.

“…Hubert, I… I fear…” It obviously pained the cavalier to try to speak so Hubert shushed him.

“Please, be quiet. Conserve your energy. There’s nothing to fear, you stupid man. I will keep you stable until help arrives and then we will get you back to the infirmary.”

“…Keep… talking…”

“Of course, my sun,” Hubert said, immediately cringing at his lack of restraint. He was apparently more jarred by seeing the man he loved in pain than he thought. “It was incredibly stupid of you to ride off on your own when we did not know what we were up against. You are in for a stern lecture from both the professor and I once we return to the monastery. I cannot believe they managed to knock you from your horse. You should have called for assistance. You do realize that you have become integral to our plans, don’t you? We cannot lose you. I… _I_ cannot lose you. Who else am I to complain about tea with? You don’t know what you’ve done to me, do you…? How dare you invite me to take tea with you and not grow tired of my company? If you do not live long enough to finish the tea I bought you, I will resurrect you and kill you myself.”

Ferdinand gave a weak chuckle. “I think… this is the most you’ve… ever spoken… about… about something that… that isn’t Edel…” He trailed off.

“Keep listening to me, you dazzling bastard. Don’t you dare pass out. I can speak about things other than Lady Edelgard, you know this better than anyone. Have you ever considered how boring our tea times would be if all I talked about was the emperor? As if I _could_ discuss her all the time while in your presence. You always manage to steal my attention away from her. I loathe how much I have come to cherish you. Ferdinand, I… Truly, I could not live without—”

Someone burst through the trees. Hubert turned, one of his many hidden knives at the ready, before he realized it was Edelgard and Byleth come to their rescue. He quickly put the knife away.

“Hubert, we heard you call— Oh, Ferdinand! What happened to him?” Edelgard asked, dropping to her knees. She tentatively reached out toward Ferdinand, who Hubert realized was now unconscious despite his best efforts.

“He charged off on his own and ran into more bandits than he could handle,” Hubert said, keeping his grip on the man even though Byleth had already taken over the healing spells.

“Where are the bandits now? Did they get away? I’ll have Caspar go after them.” Edelgard was glancing around the clearing as she spoke.

“That will… not be necessary, Lady Edelgard. I have already disposed of them.” His grip on Ferdinand subconsciously tightened as he recalled the scene he had stumbled upon.

“…There’s not a lot of remains,” Byleth pointed out.

“Hubert, how much magic did you use?” Edelgard gasped, now looking for scorch marks on the earth.

“Enough,” Hubert said simply. He honestly wasn’t sure. That might have been the reason why his meager healing magic was even less effective than usual. He may have run himself dry when he obliterated the bandits. “We need to get Ferdinand to the infirmary.”

“Yes, of course. Byleth can carry Ferdinand. Hubert, would you lead his horse?” Edelgard laid her hands over Hubert’s and gently pried Ferdinand free of his grasp.

The trip back to the monastery was largely a blur, much to Hubert’s chagrin. He dimly recalled gathering the reins of Ferdinand’s horse but the next moment that he was aware of himself was when he tripped over an uneven bit of the cobblestone path to Garreg Mach. Edelgard cast him a concerned glance and he tried to adopt a mildly annoyed but indifferent expression so she didn’t worry. Once he was confident that he was unobserved, Hubert looked toward Ferdinand’s limp form in Byleth’s arms. He allowed himself to be briefly impressed by the professor’s physical strength; Ferdinand was not a slight man. Ferdinand may have been shorter than Hubert but he was considerably denser. Hubert had never seen all of the man’s musculature for himself, but he was confident in his assessment that Ferdinand was…

Well.

He was certainly strong. And Hubert _certainly_ didn’t spend any nights deeply pondering his powerful thighs.

Hubert wasn’t permitted to escort Ferdinand to the infirmary as he was made to take Ferdinand’s horse to the stables. He had too much respect for his friend to leave the horse at the entrance of the stables like he wanted, but did hand the steed off to a stable hand as quickly as he could. With the horse taken care of, Hubert warped himself to the infirmary. His arrival was apparently not anticipated and even more apparently unwelcome.

“Hubert! What are you doing in here?! Get out!” Manuela nearly screeched when he appeared at her side.

Linhardt didn’t even look up from where he was healing a gash on Ferdinand’s leg. “Oh, good, Hubert’s here. That’s what we needed, the overly-concerned lover.”

Hubert glowered at him, simultaneously trying to look over Manuela’s shoulder to gauge Ferdinand’s condition. The former songstress was having none of it. She shoved him back every time he got near. The seventh shove was especially rough.

“I _cannot_ work like this,” Manuela groaned, physically moving Hubert to the other end of the room. “Linhardt, get rid of him.”

Linhardt sighed and retreated from Ferdinand’s cot. “Ugh, fine. Ok, Hubert, it’s time to go. Unless you can heal, you’re not helping anyone and Byleth told us what you did to stabilize him on the field so I know you can’t heal. So… Bye.” He approached Hubert as if he were trying to corner him and the dark mage was not a fan of this reversal of roles.

Hubert refused to give ground and leveled the healer with an icy glare. “I simply wish to know his condition.”

“His condition is currently ‘None of Your Business.’ Just scram and let us do our work.” Linhardt extended a scolding finger towards him and Hubert’s mind unwillingly flashed back to the instance at the academy when the green-haired man carried him across the grounds.

Hubert didn’t budge. Linhardt frowned and walked away, but instead of heading towards Ferdinand he approached the door. He wasn’t alarmed until the other man opened the door, stuck his head into the hall, and yelled, “Hey, Edelgard?”

“What is it, Linhardt? Is Ferdinand still stable?” Hubert heard Edelgard respond.

“I’d love to say yes, but it’s a little hard to monitor him with Hubert in here being a nuisance,” Linhardt said, looking back with a pointed stare. “He just warped in here and tried to get in our way. He won’t listen to us when we tell him to go. Can you come get him?”

There were hurried footsteps and Linhardt stepped away from the door before Edelgard nearly ripped it open. Hubert resisted the urge to shrink back as his emperor approached him.

“Lady Edelgard, I—” Hubert was cut off as Edelgard grabbed him by the wrist and physically dragged him out of the room. If asked, he would say he didn’t fight her, but everyone in the room would recount that he struggled against Edelgard’s grasp but to no avail. The emperor led him through the old audience chamber and into the side office.

Edelgard released her grip and stood in front of Hubert with her arms crossed. “Hubert, what are you doing?”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Hubert said, mimicking her posture.

“You warped into the infirmary when Manuela would likely have been much more willing to let you stay if you had just knocked and asked. Did you even take care of Ferdinand’s horse first?”

“Of course I did,” Hubert almost snapped, “I wouldn’t just leave his horse where anything could happen to it. After the horse was situated, I warped. I needed to know Ferdinand’s condition and that was the most direct course of action.”

“Oh, Hubert…” Edelgard was looking at him with a disgustingly soft expression. “You were worried about him.”

“Preposterous. He’s a valuable member of our forces. If he were—”

“You didn’t see your face when you were holding him.”

“I wouldn’t call it ‘holding.’”

“What would you call it, then? ‘Cradling?’ Hubert, I had to pry him out of your arms. I saw you using white magic to keep him conscious. And after all that, you still want to try to convince me that you weren’t worried about him?” Edelgard gently reached out and placed a hand on the man’s shoulder.

Hubert glanced toward the ground, trying to will away whatever blush was almost definitely across his cheeks. It would do him no favors to try to argue at this point. Edelgard had figured him out.

“As soon as Manuela and Linhardt are finished and Ferdinand is stable, you’ll be allowed to see him,” Edelgard assured him. “But, until then… Please stay out of the infirmary, Hubert. You can’t do anything to help them.”

“I understand,” Hubert said with a nod. He could wait. He was a patient man. He’d spent many hours waiting for opportune moments to complete tasks to benefit Edelgard and the empire. He could wait until Manuela allowed him to enter the infirmary.

Hubert proceeded to pace in front of the infirmary door for the better part of an hour. Byleth passed him twice, each time offering him a sympathetic glance. Hubert wanted to be upset with them, but he knew they were just genuinely concerned. Byleth was the first person who could express concern for him without making him feel looked down upon. It… wasn’t as awful as Hubert thought it would be.

Waiting was more awful than Hubert thought it would be.

As soon as Manuela opened the door, he nearly ran her down. Hubert rushed to Ferdinand’s side and took stock of… everything. Ferdinand’s color was returning to normal. He was much less pale than when Hubert last saw him. All of his wounds were healed and the worst ones were bandaged for reinforcement. Hubert was jarred from his observations when a hand suddenly wrapped around his arm. He turned and nearly came face to face with Linhardt, who jerked his head toward the far corner of room before escorting Hubert over.

“Yes, Linhardt?” Hubert said, patience already thin.

“Since you came barging in here and nearly spelled Manuela and I out of the way, I think it’s safe to assume that you’ll be the one worrying about his health for the foreseeable future. So, I’ll tell you all of what Manuela said he can’t do and how long you should keep him from doing it.” Linhardt kept talking but Hubert’s attention was stolen by the activity at Ferdinand’s bed.

“No, no, Ferdinand, you must lay back down.” Manuela was pushing Ferdinand down from a seated position. “Linhardt and I did all we could but you have some wounds that need to heal on their own.”

“Oh, it is you, Manuela! I feared you were another bandit.” Ferdinand’s voice sounded weak. “I… I had the most peculiar dream.”

“Dream? Ferdinand you were attacked by a whole group of bandits.”

“No… No, not that part, I…” He paused to catch his breath. “Well, you see, surely I passed out before slipping from my horse. And while I was unconscious, I had the strangest dream! Why, I dreamt that Hubert, of all people, came to my aid! He came to me and, well, he defeated all the bandits, and then he started to heal me!”

“Well, Ferdinand, that’s what—”

“Oh, Manuela, he was acting very strangely in this dream. While he was healing me, he was saying some very odd things. He was not making much sense… It nearly sounded as though—”

Hubert cleared his throat.

“Hubert! Is that you?!” Ferdinand sat up once again and Manuela didn’t try to stop him. “Why are you hiding in the corner, my friend?”

Linhardt pushed at Hubert’s shoulder. “You weren’t listening to me anyway.”

Hubert moved quickly to the side of Ferdinand’s cot, but not so quickly as to appear rushed. “I’m here. Linhardt was just informing me of your condition.”

Ferdinand reached out and grabbed Hubert’s wrist, his grip lacking strength. “Hubert, will you stay by my side for a while? I fear Manuela will not allow me to return to my own quarters today and, as strange as it is to say, I have come to find your presence quite comforting.”

“Hubert? Comforting?” Linhardt laughed from the other side of the room and Hubert shot him a glare.

“Ohhhhhkay, Linhardt, let’s give the boys some time to talk,” Manuela declared, shoving the green-haired healer out of the infirmary. She closed the door behind them.

The room was quiet for an uncomfortable length of time.

“Hubert, what… what happened with the bandits?” Ferdinand’s voice was quiet when he finally spoke.

Hubert shook his head once, frowning. “We were unprepared for the full scale of the attack. We were overwhelmed and you… You rode off on your own. No one knew where you had gone. By the time I found you, you…”

“So you _did_ come rescue me, then? That was not a dream?” Ferdinand’s tone balanced on the edge between hopeful and fearful.

“…I did. I also… used what little white magic I know to assist you.”

“Oh, Hubert,” Ferdinand laughed, “you say that like it pains you. But, if you do not mind me asking, what were you trying to tell me before I fell unconscious? Why, it almost sounded like you were complimenting me!”

The mage hesitated. He hadn’t considered what he would do if Ferdinand actually remembered what had been said to him. He was rather counting on the man to forget. Hubert himself wasn’t even ready to acknowledge how close he had come to confessing his feelings right there on the battlefield. If Ferdinand had died, well, he didn’t know if he could live with himself without knowing if his feelings had been unrequited this whole time. And there was truly only one sure way to find out. However, as Hubert stood there, looking over Ferdinand, he found he didn’t have the nerve. It would be easy to tell Ferdinand that he loved him at this moment. They were alone, they had each other’s full attention. Yet every time Hubert tried to piece together the words he thought of the pain the cavalier had been in and he found he didn’t have the strength to speak.

“Are you all right? You look a bit pale,” Ferdinand said, lightly jostling Hubert’s arm. “Surely complimenting me is not so horrible a thought!”

“No! Forgive me, I was trying to remember what I said.” A lie. Hubert remembered with perfect, mortifying clarity. “Stroking your ego seemed to be the best way to keep you conscious, so complimenting you was the obvious solution.”

“Oh. I see… It did not quite work, did it?”

“It worked well enough.”

“Haha! That is true! Now…”

They talked for a while longer before nearly every word of Ferdinand’s was punctuated by a yawn. At that point Hubert insisted that the man rest but Ferdinand insisted that Hubert stay until he had fallen asleep. The mage found he couldn’t deny the request so he discussed the most uninteresting parts of his schedule until the cavalier’s breathing slowed. Hubert carefully moved a lock of hair away from Ferdinand’s cheek before quietly slipping out of the infirmary.

Hubert hesitated in the hallway until he convinced himself that there really was nothing else he could do there for now. Edelgard would need a report on Ferdinand’s condition anyway. He cast one last glance at the infirmary door before departing to find his emperor.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Hubert was nearly startled out of his chair when Edelgard kicked his door in. He scrambled to right his inkwell before it spilled on the letter he was writing and when he looked up again she was leaning over the edge of his writing desk, almost in his face.

“L-Lady Edelgard,” he sputtered, leaning back. He hadn’t seen a look this intense on her face since she was ready to initiate their attack on the monastery.

“Hubert, what do you think you’re doing?” Edelgard demanded.

“I’m writing a letter to the Minister of—”

“That’s not what I meant. Ferdinand has been out of the infirmary for a week and I cannot take any more of his whining about how you won’t go talk to him. Hubert, if you don’t talk to him, he talks to me. He has grown much more tolerable over the years, but… The situation is dire.” The emperor seemed to be at her wit’s end.

Hubert hesitated. “…My apologies, Lady Edelgard. I hadn’t realized this would be such an inconvenience to you.”

Edelgard shook her head and sighed. “I’m glad that I’ve developed something akin to a friendship with him. This _is_ much preferable to being annoyed by the very sight of him. But, Hubert, he’s so _verbose._ I can’t tell you how many different ways I’ve heard him say he wishes you weren’t being so elusive.”

“He… certainly always has much to say,” Hubert said noncommittally.

“Are you not still in love with him? Did you not once tell me that ‘going even a single day without his company brings incredible unease?’ And yet, here you are, not having seen him in nearly eight days. Explain yourself.”

“Lady Edelgard—”

“Hubert, how many times do I have to tell you to drop the titles? We’ve been friends for a while now. You can call me by my name. Now, why aren’t you talking to Ferdinand?” Edelgard crossed her arms over her chest, frowning.

Hubert finally set his quill down and turned to face Edelgard. “…I can’t.”

“…You can’t.”

“Yes, that is what I said.”

Edelgard leaned into Hubert’s space, nearly breathing on him. “You have been talking to Ferdinand for _years._ Even when you hated him, you still managed to talk to him. So, what, pray tell, is the issue now? Is the fact that you complimented him too mortifying to confront? Yes, he told me about your attempts at helping him. It hardly seems like anything to sever contact over.”

The mage leaned back slightly to try to escape the scrutinizing gaze. “He does not remember the full scale of that moment. In the… panic, I suppose I could say, of the situation… I very nearly confessed my feelings to him.”

Edelgard’s posture remained unchanged and her expression shifted slightly more towards the ‘irritated’ side of things. “And I take it you decided against this because you enjoy being difficult?”

“Ridiculous. No, I said several things that clearly betrayed my emotions but he doesn’t remember them as such. He only remembers that I was complimenting him. I… had the chance to rectify this when I spoke with him in the infirmary, but…” Hubert looked down at his boots as he trailed off.

“You got scared, didn’t you? Hubert von Vestra, I have never known you to be scared of anything except heights. You have killed men. You’ve probably done worse than killing men that I don’t know about. And yet you can’t talk to the man you’ve been in love with for who knows how long?” Edelgard leaned in further, placing her hands on Hubert’s shoulders. She forced him upright and stared intensely into his visible eye.

“…What if he rejects me?” Hubert asked meekly.

Edelgard threw her hands in the air and spun on her heels away from him. “You are truly an impossible man, Ferdinand was right. Hubert, you must discuss this with him. I won’t order you to do it. I know you would but it wouldn’t be genuine and we’ve made good progress in working past some of that phase of our relationship. So, instead, I will advise you as a friend. Go talk to him. It will be easier for everyone if you two clear the air.”

Hubert nodded after a moment. “I understand. I will need time to think of what to say.”

“You’ve had more than enough time and I’m certain you’ve already thought about this more than you needed to. But, on good faith, I’ll allow it.” Edelgard moved to leave the room but paused at the door. “Hubert, you are deserving of a partner like Ferdinand. Don’t convince yourself otherwise. You are loyal, you are brave, and you are kind. Go be happy.”

Hubert was thinking on Edelgard’s words long after she was gone. Perhaps she was right. But he didn’t have enough time to think about it anymore then. He had letters to write and spy work to check on.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Hubert was minding his own business, eating lunch, when he noticed someone approaching him. Two someones. Despite knowing they were coming, Hubert was still slightly startled when Caspar slung his arm around his shoulders and Linhardt all but collapsed into the chair next to him.

“Caspar, Linhardt,” Hubert said flatly.

“Hey, Hubert! Couldn’t help but notice you’re sittin’ alone over here!” Caspar said, patting the mage’s shoulder before sliding into the chair on his side opposite Linhardt. “I saw Ferdie sitting alone earlier too. I thought you guys usually ate together.”

“We often take meals together.” Hubert pointedly didn’t look at the brawler as he spoke. “Regrettably, I’m terribly busy and our schedules didn’t line up.”

“For a week?” Linhardt asked in his unique tone that sounded simultaneously bored and interested. “I usually have to move rooms I’m napping in three times a day because you two come in, loudly flirting. Well, Ferdinand’s the loud one, but still. You two haven’t even been spotted near each other since he was released from the infirmary.”

“It’s none of your concern.”

“Oh, but it is,” Linhardt sighed, resting his chin in one palm. “You are much easier to deal with when you’re in a good mood and you’re hardly ever in a good mood anymore unless you’ve spent time with Ferdinand. You haven’t been around Ferdinand recently, and you grow more intolerable by the day.”

Caspar then chimed in. “Yeah, yeah, that and also Ferdie’s been way less focused in training. He _said_ he wanted to get better at brawling and I know he was hurt but he isn’t putting in any effort this last week! It’s like he’s super distracted or something.”

Linhardt’s chin slipped out of his hand and he settled for laying his face on the table. “Just go talk to him. It’ll be easier for everyone if you do. We all know Ferdinand’s too stubborn to approach you and actually resolve any issues you might have. Not saying you do.” His voice was muffled but irritatingly still understandable.

Hubert gave a heavy sigh before snatching up his half-empty plate and standing. He _was_ going to talk to Ferdinand, once he figured out exactly what he was going to say. Edelgard was right, he’d had more than enough time to think about it. But… His words had to be perfect. Ferdinand deserved nothing less.

“Hey! Don’t just get up and leave while we’re talking to you!” Caspar stood as well, puffing out his chest. It was more endearing than intimidating. While the blue-haired man had grown quite a bit during the five year gap, he was still significantly shorter than Hubert.

“Are you still talking? I assumed you both were finished,” the dark-haired mage said with a light grimace.

“I just wanted to say, uh…” Caspar’s bravado faltered for a bit but he took a deep breath and it returned with full force. “Just go ahead and ask to court him already! We’re all tired of waiting for it and watching you guys dance around each other is super awkward!”

“Mmm, you’ll feel better once you admit your feelings,” Linhardt agreed.

Hubert’s shoulders tensed. “Well, thank you very much for the unsolicited advice. You two are certainly ones to talk. I distinctly remember you both adamantly refusing to confess because of ridiculously asinine reasons.”

Caspar blushed deeply. “Th-That’s not the point!”

"Do as we say, not as we do,” Linhardt offered, his face still pressed against his folded arms on the table.

Hubert scoffed and walked away. Like he was going to take advice from the two men that everyone had assumed were courting their entire time at Garreg Mach only to find out they only got together after the reunion at the monastery.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

The next day, Hubert was walking past the fishing pond when he saw Ferdinand exiting the dining hall. He spun all the way back around and quickly walked toward the greenhouse, hoping he hadn’t been spotted. He had just passed the hedges and was about to ascend the stairs when someone grabbed his arm and yanked him into a dorm room.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Hubert growled, whirling to face his assailant.

Dorothea stood with her hands on her hips, Bernadetta and Petra sitting on the bed at her side. “We’re having an intervention, Hubie.”

“Oh, if that’s all, then…” Hubert turned around and reached for the door.

“Hubert von Vestra, stop right there.”

Hubert’s hand was already on the door handle but he froze nonetheless.

“Here is what will be happening, Hubert von Vestra,” Petra said behind him. “You will be sitting on the bed and we will be speaking at you… speaking _to_ you about the way you have been behaving.”

“Th-That’s right! You’ve been really weird lately! And you’re gonna tell us why!” Bernadetta added.

Dorothea grabbed Hubert by his shoulders, despite his protests, and steered him over toward the bed. Hubert struggled against the grasp but his lacking physical power made the attempts rather pathetic. Petra and Bernadetta jumped off the bed as the mages approached and Dorothea shoved Hubert onto the mattress as soon as she had a clear path. The three women stood in front of him, wearing similar trying-to-be-serious expressions.

“You’re going to tell us exactly what’s been going on and why you’ve been so weird about it. We’ll wait as long as it takes, but we won’t accept ‘no’ as an answer,” Dorothea said sternly.

“It’s Ferdinand,” Hubert sighed, alarmed at how defeated his own voice sounded.

“Dorothea just told you, we won’t take ‘no’ for an answer! Now, tell us—Wait. What did you say?” Bernadetta gasped, leaning over him. The twist that she was now the one doing the looming was not lost on Hubert.

“The cause of your weirdness is Ferdinand? But I thought you two were being friends now,” Petra said, looking contemplative.

“Did you get sick of his constant invitations to tea? Had he started some weird rivalry with you instead of Edelgard now?” Dorothea asked, also letting herself into Hubert’s personal space.

Hubert looked down so he didn’t have to meet any of their eyes. “His invitations are never a bother. He has grown past his days of needless rivalries. Don’t drag any previous blights on his character into this.”

“Strong words in favor the source of your problems. Hubie, I saw you practically run away when you saw him out there. You don’t even run away from people you hate. So, what gives? What’s the issue with Ferdinand?” Dorothea was practically breathing on him.

“There is no issue _with_ Ferdinand,” Hubert protested, leaning back. “The issue is entirely mine. I… I’m a coward.”

“Well, well… Hubert von Vestra!” Dorothea downright chortled. “Wait ‘till Edie hears about this—”

“ _Please_ do not discuss any of this with Lady Edelgard. She has already ridiculed me enough…”

Petra prodded Hubert in the shoulder with one finger. “You have been dodging the problem enough. It is time to release the beans.”

“It’s _spill_ the beans, sweetie,” Dorothea said gently.

“Oh, yes! It is time to _spill_ the beans!” Petra said with a firm nod.

Hubert looked at each of the women briefly. “Surely Linhardt informed you about the incident in the infirmary?”

“You mean when you warped in there while he and Manuela were healing Ferdinand and you practically fought Linhardt to get through?” Bernadetta asked, her tone far too giddy for Hubert’s liking.

“Precisely that.” Hubert nodded.

“Of course he told us about that,” Dorothea said, rolling her eyes. “It’s all he talked about for the next two days. …No. Don’t tell me. Ferdie finally confessed to you and you panicked? Hubie, you have to say something to him!”

Hubert furrowed his eyebrows. “Ferdinand? Confess to me? Don’t be ridiculous. In my attempts to keep Ferdinand conscious until actual healers arrived, I may have said some things that betrayed my true feelings. He did not remember them as such, and when presented with the opportunity to correct his assumptions I couldn’t go through with it. Like I said, I’m a coward.”

“Wait, so _you’re_ avoiding Ferdinand because you’re in love with him? Not because he told you he’s in love with you?” Bernadetta squinted at him.

“Yes, like I just said.”

The three women turned away from him, quietly whispering among themselves. They then nodded in near unison and faced the man once again.

“You are by far the stupidest man I’ve ever know,” Dorothea said.

Petra nodded. “Yes, Hubert, you are not in holding of the brain cells.”

“I really thought you were smarter than this!” Bernadetta piled on.

“If you’re all going to stand here and insult me then I’ll take my leave.” Hubert stood, dusting off his uniform. He shoved past the girls that he would hesitate to call his friends, but still call his friends nonetheless.

Bernadetta gingerly reached at his arm as he passed. “No, hey, wait. Hubert… Please…” She retracted her arm as soon as she brushed his sleeve.

“Hubie, we love you and we need you to know that you have got to talk to Ferdinand,” Dorothea pleaded. Hubert didn’t need to look at her to know that she was directing her saddest, most concerned expression at him.

“I’m well aware of that fact.” Hubert sighed before letting himself out of the room.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Hubert’s opportunity to talk with Ferdinand did not come for several days, and not of his own choosing. He had entered the training grounds on one of his late-night inspection rounds and was checking the exterior walls for any signs of weaknesses when he heard the door swing open. He slid one of his concealed knives into his hand and melted into the shadows before the door had even finished closing. Who else could be coming to the training grounds at this hour? He knew for certain that Caspar was finished for the day, having said something about spending much needed time with Linhardt. Edelgard had already spent a particularly exhausting training session with Byleth in the afternoon. Petra preferred to train early in the morning. And, well, the rest of the former Black Eagles class preferred not to train.

Was someone following him? Had someone managed to slip past his spies and infiltrate the monastery grounds? Hubert dared to peek out from his cover, already plotting how he was going to dispose of the body before he realized he knew this person.

“Hubert von Vestra!” Ferdinand von Aegir practically screeched. “ _There_ you are! I have been searching for you for _weeks_!”

Hubert froze. He would have rather it be someone sent to kill him. He wasn’t ready to face the man yet. He still needed to rehearse his speech for the thirtieth time. But, Ferdinand had clearly seen him already, he couldn’t escape without notice now. Hubert sighed and left his hiding place.

“Whatever were you doing back there? You were not hiding from me, were you?” Ferdinand asked, shifting his weight and placing a hand on his hip.

“No, of course not, you silly man.” The best way to play this was to pretend that everything was normal between them, surely. “I thought you might have been an assassin sent for me. One can never be too cautious in my line of work.”

The cavalier may have had the gall to roll his eyes. It was difficult to tell from the healthy distance Hubert was keeping. “And you expect me to believe that after I have seen neither hide nor tail of you since I was released from the infirmary?” the ginger man scoffed.

Hubert put on his best, most convincing of genuineness, posture. “There is a perfectly good explanation for—”

“Oh, I am sure that there is. I would most love to hear it.”

“As you know, I am quite busy with tasks that Lady Edelgard has assigned to me, as well as maintaining the upkeep of our hold. Additionally, there are many preparations to be made for coming battles and the like.”

“That is most interesting because I have just come from tea with Edelgard herself and she told me that your duties have not been increased any recently. In fact, she told me that your responsibilities have been rather lax over the last couple weeks. Should I mention the fact that you always seem to have found time for me even at your busiest? Do you need me to keep going?” As he spoke, Ferdinand stepped ever closer.

Hubert refused to retreat. He stood his ground. “Hm, that is most odd. I _am_ sorry that I haven’t been able to make our regular tea time. My spies have been extra needy this fortnight.”

Ferdinand, now directly in front of him, frowned. Hubert hated the expression on him. “Let us not play games, Hubert. If you have been avoiding me for some reason, I would like to know why. You seemed quite concerned for me on the day I was injured but then suddenly you did not care to know of my condition after?”

“I received twice daily updates on your condition. You are a bigger fool than I thought you were if you assumed I wasn’t having you monitored just because I wasn’t around.” Hubert supposed that was ture enough. He hadn’t assigned any spies to keep an eye on Ferdinand. That would have been a waste of his resources and then time as he would have had to explain the nature of the assignment. They would have asked far too many questions. No, he simply got his information from Edelgard, who got it from Linhardt. Of course, it was likely that the only reason Edelgard asked for such frequent updates was because she knew Hubert would come to her before anyone else. In any case, he stayed informed.

“Why not monitor me yourself, if you were so concerned? Even if you were actively trying to avoid me, I know you are comfortable with keeping tabs on me in less obvious ways.” Ferdinand had him there. This check may have been checkmate.

Hubert tried to examine all of his potential moves. He sighed when he realized there was no way out of this. Ferdinand had cornered him. “…I’m sorry, Ferdinand.”

Ferdinand quirked an eyebrow up. He said nothing but he shifted his weight to his other leg.

“I have been avoiding you, but not because of anything that you’ve done. It’s just… There’s something I should have told you a long time ago and I hadn’t yet figured out how to say it.” Hubert started to look down but Ferdinand deserved his full attention. “That day in the infirmary… Well, on the battlefield when I was, quite frankly, afraid you were going to die right there in my arms… I almost said it then. I tried to. I suppose I did say it, but not in so many words. But of course you didn’t catch on. I shouldn’t have expected you to. When I had the opportunity to explain myself in the infirmary, I was scared. Of what, I don’t rightly know. But in that moment I was overcome with fear. Every time after that when I would see you, or even think about the possibility of seeing you, I would be gripped with that same fear. I told myself that I was biding time to figure out what I wanted to say, but I knew the truth. Edelgard and the others tried to talk some sense into me but… I should have listened better.”

“…Hubert, what on Earth are you talking about?”

Best to just come out and say it, then. “Ferdinand von Aegir, you are everything to me. I regret how quickly you’ve managed to become my very heart, but I cannot deny that it’s happened. You are… You are my sun. I can barely handle going a day without seeing you, I can scarcely imagine what it might be like if you were taken from us. I _need_ you.”

Ferdinand’s eyes were wide and, dare Hubert wish it, hopeful. “What are you saying…?”

“I am in love with you, Ferdinand. So deeply in love that I fear I will never recover. If you do not return my feelings, please just tell me so that I can face your rejection with dignity.”

“Rejection? Hubert, why would I… Oh, you stupid, _stupid_ man—” Ferdinand cut himself off, lunging forward and dragging the mage down into a kiss.

It took Hubert much longer than he’d ever like to admit for him to realize what was happening. It took him longer still to react to it. So long, even, that Ferdinand had begun to pull away. Hubert snagged the man by his ridiculous cravat and dragged him back in. Ferdinand melted, leaning into the other man and grabbing at his sides. He was incredibly warm, Hubert noted, like his own personal heater.

When they broke the kiss, Ferdinand wrapped his arms around Hubert, enveloping him in a hug. Hubert’s blush only deepened as he hesitantly returned the gesture. He allowed himself to entangle his hands in the cavalier’s hair. It was as soft as he’d always imagined it was.

“Of course I return your feelings, Hubert von Vestra. I have been in love with you for quite some time now and honestly I am surprised you did not notice.” Ferdinand laughed, a rumble against Hubert’s chest. “I wish you had said something sooner.”

Hubert buried his nose in the top of Ferdinand’s head. His hair smelled like that ridiculously fruity tea he was always drinking. The scent had never been more pleasant. “…I thought I was being rather obvious, but I see now that wasn’t the case.”

“You thought you were being _obvious_?!”

“I gave you gifts! I drank tea for you! You said it yourself, I always found time in my very busy schedule to see you! Did you know there are days where I don’t even see Edelgard?”

Ferdinand shook his head as best he could without dislodging the embrace. “I do not believe it. Then what do you call your recent streak of valor-stealing?”

“Do you mean all those times I protected you from situations where you’d gotten yourself overwhelmed? Ferdinand, do you realize how many times you would have almost died if I hadn’t stepped in?”

Ferdinand took a step back but did not release Hubert. “You were protecting me? But, you… You snatched victories from me even when we were still in school. Surely you do not mean to say that you were protecting me then as well?”

Hubert sighed. “No… I was not protecting you then. I truly didn’t believe in your ability to finish off an opponent. At some point it transformed into protecting you, but I honestly couldn’t say when. There was no issue when your skill in battle vastly improved, but when we had conflict with groups like those bandits…”

“You wanted to make sure I was safe…”

“I can’t lose you.”

Without warning, Ferdinand pulled Hubert into another kiss, this time more intense. “I am sorry I worried you,” he said, practically into the other man’s mouth. “However, you must realize how this appeared to me. The only memory I had of this behavior from you was from the days we hated each other! Hubert, it was infuriating!”

Hubert chuckled. “I apologize. Know that in the future, if I ‘snatch victories” from you further, it is only done because I worry for your safety.”

“Why, Hubert von Vestra! I never would have guessed, not in my wildest fantasy, that you were such a softie!”

“Call me soft once more and you will suddenly find yourself on the receiving end of my wrath again.” There was no real venom behind the words and Hubert hated that he had already been reduced to this point.

Ferdinand smiled at him, taking Hubert’s hands in his own. “Do not worry, I will not tell anyone of your secret. I know you are a very private man. Would you prefer to take this conversation elsewhere so that your dignity is not tarnished?” There was a playful note in his voice that stirred a number of feelings in the mage.

“What might you have in mind?” Hubert asked, his voice catching slightly. His heart was already pounding more than Hubert ever believed it could in relation to a positive emotion. He certainly wasn’t ready for whatever Ferdinand was going to do next.

The cavalier shrugged flippantly before looking up at him through hooded eyes. “Oh, I know a place.”

Hubert let Ferdinand escort him out of the training grounds, hands joined, confident that he would follow this man off the edge of the monastery grounds if that’s where they were going.

It wasn’t.

But that was fine.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Edelgard let an annoyed puff of air out her nose. She had thought Ferdinand von Aegir was past his phase of annoying her at every turn but, no, he had the gall to miss their meeting that morning. He hadn’t even sent word that he might be late. She had searched high and low for the man to give him a piece of her mind. His room was the last option before she started considering something may have happened to him.

She raised her fist and forcibly knocked, not pounded, on the door. “Ferdinand! If you are in there, I’m going to have your head!” she called.

No response.

“Ferdinand!!”

Nothing.

She sighed heavily. Only one thing to do then. Edelgard squared her shoulders and prepared to ram the door, except the door handle turned when she grabbed it to brace herself. Curious. She threw the door open and stormed in after it.

“Ferdinand von Aegir, are you _sleeping_?!” Edelgard demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

A mess of ginger hair popped up from the bed, clearly startled. Ferdinand pulled the quilt up higher over his bare chest. “E-Edelgard!” he squawked.

Edelgard had never seen the man in such disarray. “Did you forget about our meeting this morning, General? We were to discuss routes for the troops, but I suppose sleeping in is more important today.”

“Th-That’s not—!”

“What on earth are you screeching about…?” a groggy voice mumbled. There was something familiar about it.

There was something even more familiar about the head that appeared next to Ferdinand, although it appeared far more rested than Edelgard had ever seen it.

“Hubert?!” she gasped. What was he doing here?

Hubert’s eyes were the size of dinner plates. “L-Lady Edelgard! What… What are you doing here?” He sunk down again to hide more under the quilt. Why was he naked as well— Oh. _Oh._

Edelgard took a step back. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you two were… The door was unlocked, so I just… I’m sorry. We’ll reschedule the meeting.” She turned on her heels and swiftly exited the room.

“You didn’t lock the door?” she heard Hubert hiss as she left.

“I was a little preoccupied, if you will remember!” Ferdinand protested.

Edelgard couldn’t help but smile. It seemed Hubert finally acted on her advice. Good. He deserved this. Edelgard would get over the shock of seeing both her advisors nude save for a quilt. She was just glad they both finally got their heads out of their asses.

Still, she’d have to properly congratulate them at a more appropriate time. And, of course, ridicule them at their wedding.

**Author's Note:**

> (: 
> 
> i hope the ending isnt too cheesy or anything lol  
> stay tuned for however long it takes for me to finish my next ferdibert fic bc im in too deep
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated uwu  
> thank yall for reading!!


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